§ 27-699. General requirements and guidelines.

(a)

Landscaping.

(1)

The area between the curb of a public street and the property line shall be brought to finish grade and planted in grass. In no case may this area be paved or covered with materials other than grass or an appropriate ground cover, except at approved driveways that shall be paved. Approved street trees may also be planted.

(2)

All areas not covered by buildings, paved area, or other acceptably improved areas shall be landscaped with such landscaping continuously maintained.

(3)

No landscaping in street rights-of-way or in the required sight distance triangles on corner lots, as provided in section 27-637, shall be allowed to exceed 24 inches in height, except for approved street trees.

(4)

At least one-half of the trees planted to fulfill the tree planting requirements shall be shade trees.

(5)

The perimeter of all towers including tower compounds shall be landscaped with the equivalent of one row of large shrubs planted on 15-foot centers and one row of evergreen trees planted on 15-foot centers.

(6)

Nonindustrial and nonstructure parking lots that have a paved area wider than a double-loaded aisle and more than 20,000 square feet in area shall provide one shade tree for each 20 parking spaces on the interior of the parking lot. Interior tree plantings are in addition to other landscaping requirements.

(b)

Screening.

(1)

Screening setback. Screening shall not extend into the sight distance triangle or beyond the required parking or paving setback where side or rear lot lines approach a street right-of-way.

(2)

Screening made ineffective. Where the required screening is made ineffective by topographic or other uncontrollable conditions or where the screening would tend to obscure another commercial or industrial use, buffer plantings and/or shade trees may be substituted.

(3)

Existing screening. If existing screening on either side of a property line meets or exceeds screening requirements, no additional screening will be required. However, if at any time such screening fails to conform to ordinance requirements, compliance shall be provided by the owner of property in the less restrictive zoning district.

(4)

Delayed screening. Screening requirements may be delayed if adjacent property is undeveloped and unplatted. The unified government may, however, at any time require such screening to be provided.

(5)

Screening of outside trash bins or trash containers. All outside bins or trash container areas must be completely enclosed by an architectural screen to a height not less than the height of the bin or container. No trash enclosures may be located in required yards adjacent to street right-of-way. In commercially and industrially zoned areas where the trash container will not be visible from off the property due to other screening or topographic conditions and will not be visible from public parking or pedestrian areas on the site, such trash bin screening need not be provided. In industrially zoned areas where the trash container will not be visible from residential property and where such containers are kept directly alongside the building and in a well-kept manner, such screening need not be provided.

(6)

Screening of mechanical equipment. Mechanical equipment or other utility hardware whether on the ground or on a building shall be screened from public view. Such screening shall be harmonious with building design and materials.

(7)

Screening of parking areas. Where a parking lot serves other than single-family or two-family dwellings and is adjacent to or across an alley from property zoned for single-family or two-family use, such parking lot shall be provided with an architectural screen at least four feet in height above the paving surface. Buffer plantings or landscape screening may be substituted if protection from headlights is not determined to be necessary. Where more stringent requirements exist, they shall apply.

(8)

Outdoor storage. Requirements are listed in the individual district unless otherwise included herein.

(9)

Lighting. Any lighting used to illuminate an off-street parking area, sign or other structure shall be arranged as to deflect light away from any adjoining residentially zoned property or from public streets. Direct or sky-reflected glare, from floodlights or commercial operations, shall not be directed into any adjoining property. The source of lights shall be hooded or controlled. Bare incandescent light bulbs shall not be permitted in view of adjacent property or public right-of-way. Any light or combination of lights that cast light on adjacent residentially zoned property shall not exceed one foot candle as measured from said property line.

(Code 1988, § 27-1349; Ord. No. 64690, § 1(27-69.4), 8-30-1984; Ord. No. 65814, § 15, 7-8-1993; Ord. No. 66177, § 7, 12-5-1996; Ord. No. O-65-02, § 3, 8-29-2002)